Why being active on social media is a win-win for employees and brands alike

In today’s world, social activity goes beyond personal use—it’s a powerful asset for both employees and brands. Using social media professionally offers numerous benefits, boosting brand visibility and enhancing employee engagement. Let’s dive into why encouraging your employees to be active on social media is a win-win for everyone involved.

Benefits for brands

Increasing reach and engagement

One of the most significant benefits for brands when employees are active on social media is the exponential increase in reach and engagement. Employees’ networks tend to be about 561% larger than their brand or company’s social accounts. This means, when your employees share content, they tap into their own networks, which often consist of connections that the brand itself may not reach.

In addition, statistics show that when content is shared by employees, it receives 8x more engagement than the same content from the company channels. This expanded reach is further amplified by the social media platform’s algorithms that normally prioritize content shared by individuals over content directly from brands. As a result, through employee advocacy, your brand’s message penetrates deeper into varied audiences, leading to higher visibility and awareness.

Increasing share of voice

Social media is a noisy place, and standing out is a challenge. However, when your employees actively share and engage with your brand content, it contributes to a higher share of voice. This means your brand’s presence becomes more prominent in conversations happening online. Employees act as brand advocates, reinforcing key messages and themes, which helps your brand to stand out in discussions within its industry and beyond.

Attracting top talent

Active social participation by employees showcases your company’s vibrant culture and dynamic work environment. Prospective employees often research a company’s online presence and its employees’ activities before deciding to apply. Seeing a strong, positive social media presence from current employees can be a powerful draw for top talent. It signals a healthy, engaged, and innovative workplace, amplifying your employer brand and making your company more attractive to skilled professionals seeking their next career move. In fact, 80% of recruiters found that having a positive employer brand has an impact on drawing top talent.

Boosting website traffic

When employees share your brand’s blog posts, guides, or company news, it often includes links to your company’s website. This direct referral traffic can significantly boost website visits, leading to increased engagement with your brand’s digital properties. Higher website traffic also positively impacts search engine rankings, creating a virtuous cycle of visibility and engagement.

Generating new business

Active social media participation by employees can directly lead to new business opportunities. When employees share content and engage in industry discussions, they often connect with potential clients and partners. These interactions can foster relationships that translate into business opportunities. Moreover, the authentic endorsements from your employees can be more persuasive to prospects than traditional advertising, leading to higher conversion rates.

Benefits for employees

Enhancing their professional reputation

When employees actively participate in social media, they build their professional reputation. Their professional profile, not only presents their work history, but also the topics they are following and discussions they are participating in. Sharing industry insights, engaging in meaningful discussions, and demonstrating expertise can position them as thought leaders in their field. This visibility can open doors to new opportunities, such as speaking engagements, collaborations, and career advancements.

Expanding their professional networks

Social activity allows employees to expand their professional networks. By engaging with peers, industry leaders, and potential mentors, they can build valuable connections that support their career growth. A robust network can provide access to new job opportunities, partnerships, and a support system for career development. For any function you have as a professional in your company, if you learn about your craft, and share your observations, participate in conversations with peers, you will be noticed and appreciated.

Developing skills

Maintaining an active social media presence requires a variety of skills, including content creation, digital marketing, and communication. Employees can enhance these skills through regular practice and engagement. These skills are highly transferable and can add significant value to their professional toolkit, making them more versatile and marketable. For example, a customer success professional can participate in conversations about customer success topics by sharing best practices that have worked for them. Sharing helpful tips from a practitioner is authentic content peers will relate to.

Recognition and visibility

Employees who actively share and engage with content can gain recognition within their industry. This visibility can lead to acknowledgment from peers and superiors, boosting their professional profile. It can also result in internal recognition within your company, which can enhance job satisfaction and career progression.

Increased job satisfaction

Being an active participant in social media allows employees to express their passion for their work and their industry. This expression can lead to higher job satisfaction as they feel more connected to their professional community and their company’s mission. It also fosters a sense of pride and ownership in their role, which can enhance overall job performance. In fact, studies show that being active on social media can reduce turnover by as much as 28%. Sharing your the news about your anniversary at your company is always received very warmly by peers and other employees

Elevate your brand and empower employees with employee advocacy

Fostering a culture of social activity on B2B social media platforms, within a company is mutually beneficial for both brands and employees. For brands, it amplifies reach, voice, and business opportunities, while for employees, it enhances reputation, network, and job satisfaction. Embracing this symbiotic relationship can lead to a thriving, dynamic, and innovative workplace.

Ready to get started? Learn more about how Oktopost can make your employee advocacy program both easy and impactful.